Surprise! Black Grouse Launches out of a Snow Burrow [VIDEO]

If you’ve ever happened upon a grouse that’s hidden in a snow burrow, then you will be both startled and amazed.

It’s one of the most exciting things in hunting, hiking, or a simple walk in nature.

If you can’t get out there yourself, then this is what a grouse looks like when it bursts out of a snow burrow.

The grouse in this video are said to be black grouse. Certain species of these birds whose habitat includes subarctic or even temperate regions often “snow burrow” to escape the extremes of winter and evade predators.

Note at about the 25 second mark of the video, a trail in the snow that leads to what appears to be a print of the body and the wings of the bird. Grouse will stop in the snow and use their legs and wings to settle into the powder, even moving underneath the surface to a different location.

When the bird takes off, he is already several feet away from his original burrow and escapes in a flurry.

I’ve been lucky enough to have had this happen to me while hunting ruffed grouse. How about you?